French onion soup is usually SO labour intensive. You have to laboriously stand over the stove, dutifully scrape up all those delicious bits of flavour from the bottom of the pan as you slowly but surely caramelize the onions, and then there’s all the stirring. Who has time for that? Well, we have good news, fair-weather chefs, those days are over! Get ready to welcome in a new era of easy, cheesy, broth-soaked-bready goodness. The hardest part is chopping the onions, but that’s what your food processor is for.

SLOW COOKER FRENCH ONION SOUP

WHAT YOU NEED

4 pounds yellow onions, peeled and chopped

10 cups beef broth

1 baguette, sliced diagonally and toasted

1 bay leaf

1 1/2 cups Gruyere or swiss cheese, grated or sliced

1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste

Minced chives, for garnish

WHAT YOU DO

Place chopped onions, butter, and olive oil in a large skillet or pot, and cook over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until onions start to caramelize.

In a small bowl, whisk flour into balsamic vinegar and Worcestershire sauce and mix until smooth.

Transfer onions to slow cooker.

Pour in beef broth, bay leaf, salt, pepper, and flour mixture, and stir well to combine.

Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours, or on high for 3-4 hours.

Ladle soup into oven proof bowls, and top each with 1 slice of bread and cheese.